AI Damage1999 Honda Prelude: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Honda Prelude filed 31 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 31
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 26% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 23% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 23% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 16% of all complaints
- 5 Equipment 10% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 6% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 3% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 8 complaints (26% of all).
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (23% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 7 complaints (23% of all).
- Tires: 5 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 31 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
As a result of tread separation car lost control and hit the median. Driver was whip lashed and her neck and back hurts. (tiresize: 205/50r16)( dot number: tire size: 205/50r16 )
Vehicle was involved in an accident, and driver's air bag did not deploy.
The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact became aware that the failure was due to the ignition switch. The contact replaced the part himself.
Starting in june 2017, my 1999 honda prelude sh has been stalling without warning while I am driving. This happens mostly on hot days. The car can not be re-started for 5-10 minutes afterward. The engine is not overheating. My mechanic ran tests for two days and says that the ignition switch must be faulty.
The sportshift automatic transmission m6ha in my 1999 honda prelude started to slip and while going down the freeway the car lost all power to the wheels and would just rev up the engine when I pressed the gas pedal down and would not move the car while in all drive gears.
Consumer states engine failure while driving the consumer referenced the ignition switch recall and is requesting $2,350.19 for repairs. The consumer stated he received a small refund from honda. Updated 09/29/11
I was traveling east bound on fwy 56 at around 65 miles; suddenly I heard a loud noise under the hood and grinding noises. All dash board lights came on and I was having difficulties in maneuvering the car. Luckily, I was able to get off the freeway and stopped the car at the end of the off ramp (camino del sur).
My son was driving the 1999 honda prelude on the expressway when the engine stopped runing. He was able to push the car over to the side of the road with out any crash or injuries. He was luckey that there were few cars on the road at the time. Had it towed to a repair shop.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,740 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Prelude has 17 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 31, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
- Prelude 19845 sources
- Prelude 19857 sources
- Prelude 198612 sources
- Prelude 198714 sources
- Prelude 198835 sources
- Prelude 198921 sources
- Prelude 19904 sources
- Prelude 199115 sources
- Prelude 199222 sources
- Prelude 199311 sources
- Prelude 19949 sources
- Prelude 19956 sources
- Prelude 19964 sources
- Prelude 199766 sources
- Prelude 199869 sources
- Prelude 200013 sources
- Prelude 200121 sources
- Prelude 202617 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Honda Prelude?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 31. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: loss of power / limp mode (13%), engine failure or replacement (10%), stalls while driving (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Honda Prelude?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Honda Prelude from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.